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Ice (Water Ice / Clathrate)

Ice (Water Ice / Clathrate)

minerals
TL;DR: Ice (Water Ice) is a main entry in the 外星矿物知识引擎 database.
Water ice is the single most valuable near-term space resource. Confirmed at lunar poles, Mars subsurface, and Ceres. In orbit, water is worth $10M+ per tonne as propellant. Water extraction from PSRs and asteroids is the foundation of the cislunar economy.
Formula
H₂O / H₂O·gas clathrate
Crystal System
Hexagonal (Ice Ih)
Hardness
1.5 (ice)
Density
0.92 g/cm³
Occurrence
Lunar poles (PSRs), Mars subsurface, Ceres surface/subsurface, comet nuclei, C-type asteroids
Significance
Most valuable near-term space resource; enables propellant, life support, radiation shielding; gateway to cislunar economy
Source
LCROSS, LRO, MRO, Dawn, Rosetta

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ice (Water Ice)?

Ice (Water Ice) is a main documented in the 外星矿物知识引擎.